SWORD & SPIRIT WRITER

“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover,” (Mark 16:15-18).

God’s people should be a terror to the enemy. Not the other way around.

Jesus purchased authority over all the power of the enemy with His blood which comes with great responsibility for us.

He had to go so the Holy Spirit could come, then making it our responsibility as His church, the holders of the keys to His Kingdom, to bind and loose in His name as His royal priesthood in the earth.

Before Jesus died and was raised again, He said to His disciples, “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven,” (Matthew 16:19).

Jesus finished His Father’s work with His death and resurrection. We are no longer waiting for the keys to the very Kingdom of God. We are possessors of them.

If you are in Christ, a born-again child of God, you too hold these keys. The Lord is asking His people now: When will you believe it?

Since, His entire Kingdom is run on faith and acting based on faith, His Kingdom laws don’t allow the keys to work unless we believe we have the right and power to use them in His name.

In Matthew 18:1-4, Jesus teaches the disciples that GREAT faith is so simple ONLY a little child can understand it.

It takes a total humbling and surrender of self to obey the Great Commission in its fullness. A people who don’t care what people think. A people of childlike faith. To preach Christ. Heal the sick. Cast out demons. Raise the dead.

If Jesus gave the church a report card on the Great Commission it would be: INCOMPLETE ASSIGNMENT.

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I (Jesus) go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you,” (John 16:7).

Jesus told the disciples that it was better for them if He left, so the Holy Spirit will come to us. And He did. Profound and important words in their meaning.

After He commissioned them to preach Christ, heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead, etc., He left and SAT DOWN at the right hand of the Father, having finished His Father’s work.

It was far better for Him to go, so we’d be fully equipped to do even greater works than He did by His indwelt Holy Spirit.

Another reason it was better that Jesus left was so we could take our position as citizens of heaven while simultaneously living here on the earth.

How? Because as part of Christ’s body, with Him seated at the right hand of the Father, we too, IN Christ, are seated at the right hand of the Father. Thus, we too are seated high above all the power of the enemy [Ephesians 1:20-23].

Translation: God’s children are called to overcome! Glory to the Lamb of God!

• “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you,” (Luke 10:19).
• “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world,” (1 John 4:4).
• “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith,” (1 John 5:4).
• “Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:5).

I literally squealed with delight when I saw them addressed as “little children” in 1 John 4:4 because it’s a theme the Lord has had me on for awhile for what it takes to have great faith.

Our childlike faith in Christ and His true gospel overcomes the world! Hallelujah!

Oh church, how the Lord wants us to get this! I’ll say this again: God’s people should be a terror to the enemy. Not the other way around.

Lord baptize Your people in the fire of the Holy Spirit to carry out the Great Commission to the full to a lost, dying, and suffering world in Jesus’ name amen.